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ZStack Cloud 4.6.0

Highlights

  1. VM Directory View: Displays VM instances by cluster or by group in a directory view.
  2. Upgrading of VM Scheduling Policy: The original Affinity Group feature is fully upgraded to a more flexible scheduling policy of VM-VM and VM-host.
  3. Authorize Backup Service According to Licensed VMs: Authorizes the Backup Service plus license according to the number of licensed VM instances to help you better control costs and manage resources.

Overview

  1. VM Instance
    1. VM Directory View.
    2. VM Scheduling Policy.
    3. Adds an alert when using Ctrl+Alt+Del in VM console to avoid mishandling.
  2. Cloud Network and Network Service
    1. Adds a Session Persistence mechanism to LB listeners.
    2. Adds an IP Allocation Policy in DHCP service.
    3. Supports enabling/disabling VM NIC on UI.
    4. Allows to assign management network IP address when creating a VPC vRouter.
    5. Optimizations of smart NIC.
      1. Supports virtualizing smart NICs on UI.
      2. Supports three Network Acceleration Modes when creating an L2 network.
      3. Other operation optimizations.
  3. User Experience Optimization
    1. Saves the specified number of items displayed per page of the resource list.
    2. Retains the page state when going back from resource details page.
    3. Supports adjusting column width on resource list.
    4. Optimizations of the advanced search interaction experience.
  4. Backup Service
    1. Authorize Backup Service according to licensed VMs.
  5. Elastic Baremetal Management
    1. Allows to update IPMI info of baremetal nodes on UI.
  6. Enterprise Management
    1. Optimization of adding a 3rd-party authentication server in Enterprise Management.
  7. Installation and Deployment
    1. Releases new x86 custom ISO of the c79 version.

VM Instance

VM Directory View

In earlier versions, VM instances are displayed in a list view. Starting from ZStack Cloud 4.6.0, a new Directory View is added and ZStack Cloud allows you to display VM instances by cluster or by group in a directory tree form. You can quickly filter target resources through the directory tree and centrally manage VM instances in the same cluster or group. Currently, you can switch to the directory view on VM instance page in Resource Pool and vCenter.
Figure 1. VM List View


Figure 2. VM Directory View (Display by Cluster)


Figure 3. VM Directory View (Display by Group)


ZStack Cloud allows you to switch the VM instance view between list view and directory view according to your needs. You can click the switch button on the upper-right corner of the VM Instance page to change the current VM instance view. Note that VM instances will be displayed in the default view when you refresh the page. You can specify how VM instances are displayed by modifying VM Instance View in Global Setting. By default, VM instances are displayed in the list view.
Figure 4. Switch VM View for Current Page


Figure 5. Switch VM View in Global Setting


When creating associated resources based on VM instances, you can filter VM instances by cluster or by group on the Select VM Instance page, which helps you quickly locate the target resources and improve operation efficiency.

At present, you can filter VM instances by cluster or by group when creating the following associated resources: resource alarms, backup jobs, CDP tasks, and scheduled jobs.
Figure 6. Filter VM by Directory


VM Scheduling Policy

Starting from ZStack Cloud 4.6.0, the Affinity Group feature is upgraded to VM Scheduling Policy feature to further improve the high performance and high availability of businesses and utilization of physical resources.

The VM Scheduling Policy feature provides four types of policies: VM Exclusive from Each Other, VM Affinitive to Each Other, VMs Affinitive to Hosts, and VMs Exclusive from Hosts. These polices define the exclusive/affinitive relations between VM instance and VM instance, and between VM instance and host, respectively.

Each policy has two execution mechanisms: Hard and Soft. By associating scheduling policies with VM scheduling groups and host scheduling groups, you can forcibly or primarily assign hosts for VM instances in bulk. Note that you need to associate a host scheduling policy when select the VMs Affinitive to Hosts or VMs Exclusive from Hosts policy. You can configure scheduling policies based on your daily scheduling and O&M demands.

Figure 1. Create Exclusive VMs (Hard) Scheduling Policy


Figure 2. Create Affinitive VMs (Hard) Scheduling Policy


Figure 3. Create VMs Exclusive from Hosts (Hard) Scheduling Policy


Figure 4. Create VMs Affinitive to Hosts (Hard) Scheduling Policy


The Affinity Group feature is seamlessly upgraded to VM Scheduling Policy feature after upgrading ZStack Cloud. In earlier versions, the Affinity Group feature provides Anti-Affinity Group (Hard) and Anti-Affinity Group (Soft). These two strategies are upgraded to VM Affinitive to Each Other (Hard) and VM Affinitive to Each Other (Soft) respectively, without any modification to the underlying working principles. This upgrade has no impact on your existing application workloads and is annoyance-free.

Figure 5. Anti-Affinity Group (Hard&Soft)-Version Earlier Than 4.6.0


Figure 6. Exclusive VMs (Hard&Soft)-4.6.0 Version


Adds Alert When Using Ctrl+Alt+Del in VM Console to Avoid Mishandling

Figure 1. Ctrl+Alt+Del Risk Warning


Cloud Network and Network Service

Adds Session Persistence Mechanism to LB Listener

Starting from ZStack Cloud 4.6.0, the load balancing service supports Session Persistence mechanism. You can enable this mechanism based on your business needs to ensure business continuity.

Session Persistence identifies the association of the interactions between a client and backend servers based on which a load balancer can direct the client's requests to a specific backend server.

ZStack Cloud provides two session persistence mechanisms: TCP/UDP-based 4th-layer session persistence and HTTP/HTTPS-based 7th-layer session persistence.
  • 4th-layer session persistence:
    • Use Source IP Hash algorithm to direct requests from clients of the same source IP address to a backend server.
  • 7th-layer session persistence:
    • When using Round Robin or Weighted Round Robin algorithm, a load balancer inserts or rewrites a cookie to direct requests to the backend server previously responded.
    • When using Source IP Hash algorithm, a load balancer uses the Hash function to direct requests from clients of the same source IP address to a backend server.
Figure 1. Enable TCP-based 4th-Layer Session Persistence


Figure 2. Enable HTTP-based 7th-Layer Session Persistence


Adds IP Allocation Policy in DHCP Service

In earlier versions, the DHCP service only supports randomly assigning IP addresses. Starting from ZStack Cloud 4.6.0, when creating IPv4-typed L3 networks, you can specify IP Allocation Policy after the DHCP service is enabled. IP addresses can be assigned according to the following three allocation policies: Random, Allocate in Order, and Allocate in Cycle. After being specified, ZStack Cloud assigns IP addresses to resources in the Cloud that use this L3 network according to the specified allocation policy.
Figure 1. Configure IP Allocation Policy


Also, you can enter the details page of the L3 network to modify the IP allocation policy to suit your business needs.
Figure 2. Modify IP Allocation Policy


Supports Enabling/Disabling VM NIC on UI

ZStack Cloud 4.6.0 begins to support enabling/disabling VM NICs of the vNIC type on the UI interface. ZStack Cloud saves all existing configurations of the NIC when disabling it. This way, when enabling the NIC, you can use the previous configurations to ensure the business configuration consistency, which improves the O&M efficiency.
Figure 1. Enable Or Disable NIC


Allows to Assign Management Network IP Address When Creating VPC vRouter

Starting from ZStack Cloud 4.6.0, when creating VPC vRouters or VPC vRouter HA groups, you can assign a management network IP address to the VPC vRouter, which improves the management efficiency of VPC vRouter resources for O&M personnel.
Figure 1. Specify Management IP Address upon VPC vRouter Creation


Figure 2. Specify VPC vRouter Management IP Address upon VPC vRouter HA Group Creation


Optimizations of Smart NIC

ZStack Cloud 4.6.0 makes optimizations on the smart NIC.

Supports Virtualizing Smart NIC on UI

In earlier versions, after you use the preset or customized maximum number of smart NICs that can be virtualized, the number of vDPA NICs that can be actually virtulized from the smart NIC only supports to be equal as the maximum number of smart NIC that can be virtualized.

Starting from ZStack Cloud 4.6.0, after you use the preset or customized maximum virtualization number, you can specify the number of vDPA NICs to be virtualized on the UI to meet various business needs.
Figure 1. Virtualize Smart NIC


Supports Three Network Acceleration Modes in L2 Network

In earlier versions, L2 network supports Linux Bridge and OVS-DPDK vSwitch types. At the same time, L2 network also supports SR-IOV technology.
Figure 2. L2 Network Supports Two vSwith Types and SR-IOV Technology-Version Earlier Than 4.6.0


Starting from ZStack Cloud 4.6.0, the UI interface encapsulates the underlying logic mentioned above, and supports the following three network acceleration modes, which further clarifies the business logic.
  • Normal: uses Linux Bridge vSwitch, but applies no network acceleration technology. This mode supports all types of L2 networks.
  • SR-IOV: applies the SR-IOV technology to passthrough physical NICs to improve network performance of VM instances. This mode supports only L2VlanNetwork and L2NoVlanNetwork.

  • Smart NIC: uses OVS-DPDK vSwitch and applies the offload feature of a smart NIC to implement network policies within the smart NIC, thereby improving network performance. This mode supports only L2VlanNetwork and L2NoVlanNetwork.

Figure 3. L2 Network Supports Three Network Acceleration Modes-4.6.0 Version


Other Optimizations

  • Supports specifying hosts to install drivers.
  • Supports hot migrating the primary storage of the VM instance with vDPA NIC attached.
  • Supports detaching vDPA NIC of running VM instances.

User Experience Optimization

Saves Specified Number of Items Displayed per Page of Resource List

In earlier versions, ZStack Cloud allows you to customize the items to be displayed on a resource list. The specified number of items per page is only for one-time use and will be restored to default value after you refreshing or re-entering the resource page.

Starting from ZStack Cloud 4.6.0, the specified number of items displayed on a single page will be saved locally. When you refresh or re-enter the resource page, the number of displayed resources on a page will be consistent with the previous configuration, thus freeing you from repeated manual settings.
Figure 1. Local Record of Resource Item Displayed Per Page


Retains Page State When Going Back from Resource Details Page

In earlier versions, when returning from the resource details page, the resource list will be displayed in default state. ZStack Cloud 4.6.0 adds a Go Back button in breadcrumb navigation and supports saving the previous filter/search result and located page, which avoids repeated manual setting and improves browsing experience.
Figure 1. Go Back From Details Page


Supports Adjusting Column Width on Resource List

ZStack Cloud 4.6.0 begins to support adjusting column width on resource list. You can drag the table header to expand or narrow the displayed area of the specified column to avoid missing information due to insufficient column width.
Figure 1. Adjust Column Width


Optimizations of Advanced Search Interaction Experience

ZStack Cloud 4.6.0 makes optimizations on the resource search feature.
  • Intuitively displays the search box on resource page and simplifies the operation steps, freeing you from clicking a search button.
  • An individual tag search button, which is convenient for user to reach and use.
  • Displays all specified search conditions below the search box, such as input conditions, tags, and filters, which helps users to quickly check and adjust search conditions.
Figure 1. Advanced Search Improvement


Backup Service

Authorize Backup Service According to Licensed VMs

ZStack Cloud 4.6.0 begins to authorize the Backup Service plus license according the number of licensed VM instances. After purchasing the Backup Service plus license, you can directly view the usage information of licensed VM instances on the License Management page, which is convenient for a more flexible cost control and resource management.
Figure 1. Licensed VMs of Backup Service


Elastic Baremetal Management

Allows to Update IPMI Info of Baremetal Node on UI

Starting from ZStack Cloud 4.6.0, you can modify the IMPI user name and password of baremetal nodes that are in unknown state. This helps O&M personnel to quickly recover the power status of baremetal nodes to ensure business continuity.
Figure 1. Update Baremetal Node IPMI Info


Enterprise Management

Optimization of Adding a 3rd-Party Authentication Server in Enterprise Management

Starting from ZStack Cloud 4.6.0, Enterprise Management has reorganized and optimized the process of adding different types of 3rd-party authentication servers to improve user experience.

In earlier versions, when adding AD/LDAP/OIDC/OAuth2/CAS servers, if you have complete the configuration of the server, the Cloud may add the server in advance even if the mapping rules are not synchronized. At this point, the authentication server is unavailable for use.
Figure 1. LDAP Server Unavailable Upon Only Server Configurations Completed-Version Earlier Than 4.6.0


ZStack Cloud 4.6.0 has made the following optimization on the process of adding different types of 3rd-party authentication servers:
  • AD/LDAP:
    • When the configuration is completed and the connection test succeeds, the 3rd-party authentication server will be added to the Cloud in advance. If you have not configured the mapping rules, then you are not allowed to synchronize the rules. ZStack Cloud will prompt an alert that you need to configure mapping rules before you can use the authentication server.
  • OIDC/OAuth2/CAS:
    • You need to complete the whole configuration process to successfully add a authentication server. You can directly use the authentication server after addition.
Figure 2. LDAP Server Unavailable Upon Only Server Configurations Completed-4.6.0 Version


Figure 3. OIDC Server Available Upon All Processes Completed-4.6.0 Version


Installation and Deployment

Releases New x86 Custom ISO of the c79 Version

In earlier versions, ZStack Cloud provides the x86 custom ISOs of c76 version and of c74 version. You can use one command to install and deploy ZStack Cloud in 30 minutes.

ZStack Cloud 4.6.0 begins to support the custom ISO of c79 version and stop providing the c74 ISO. So far, ZStack Cloud will provide the custom ISOs of c79 version and of c76 version.

c79 ISO is a free-of-use ZStack Cloud ISO with in-depth customization of CentOS 7.9, using the same Kernel version as c76 ISO, with all functions and features of c76 ISO. If you install a new cloud platform, we recommend you use a c79 ISO.

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